Matchmaking Gone Wrong
by Oh-Johanna
Summary: Spring - that magical time of year when the malaise of winter recedes, turning a young girl's fancy to love - And Minerva is sick of it. Just a bit of fluff. Please R&R!


Spring - that magical time of year when the malaise of winter recedes, turning a young girl's fancy to love - And Minerva is sick of it.

.

.

.

"Miss Granger."

Her sharp tone rang out above the noise of the room. "Might I have a word with you?"

Everyone's head turned. This couldn't possibly be Miss Know-It-All getting into trouble could it? Even Harry and Ron blinked a few astonished eyes before breaking into snickers.

Hermione shot them a dirty look before rising from her chair and followed Professor McGonagall to her desk.

As the rest of the class filed out the wagging tongues flittered out of ear and the door swung hard behind them. Hermione cringed at the bang.

"Now then." Minerva said. "This is the third note I have had to confiscate from your person, Miss Granger. Are my lessons so dreadfully boring to you?"

Hermione looked up horrified clutching her pocket where she thought she'd safely hidden the damn thing. "Oh no! I'm sorry. I didn't mean to, really. I'm – please don't read it!"

Minerva cocked a single brow. "I had no intention of reading it. I do, however, expect this behavior to cease or you shall expect to find yourself in detention, do I make myself clear?"

Hermione looked at the floor and nodded.

"You may go." She said a little kinder now and the girl all but ran out of the room.

For one split second Minerva regarded the parchment in her hand, tempted to know what had caused such uncharacteristic behavior in her best pupil but with a quick flick it burst into flames and was vanished.

That was the first in a long line of incidents that seemed to keep Minerva on edge all day and it was not long before she understood the reason for them.

Gathering a few papers from her desk she stood, glancing at the window as she left. She was not ten feet down the hall when she heard the distinct sounds of whispering girls and halted momentarily.

Two Patil sisters, side by side and clutching their books to their chest eagerly faced Hermione. "How did she know we had the note?" Padma asked.

"Its not like we were even passing it." Parvarti offered.

The three girls had come up with the strategy only a few days before, where they had bewitched three pieces of parchment to copy on each one what was written on another. They had thought themselves very clever for this as it seemed impossible for them to be caught. Apparently they had miscalculated.

"I don't know how she got it I'm just lucky she didn't read it. I'm sure she'd of had us in detention for weeks. We really should be more careful."

Parvarti laughed. "Oh don't be silly, Hermione. No ones going to find out except for you-know-who."

"Oh do you have to say it like that?" Padma wriggled her nose. "It sounds like you're talking about _You-Know-Who_."

"Well I can't use his real name, you know, someone might hear."

"How about we just not mention him at all?" Hermione said hurriedly. "I've got to go but I'll tell you how it went later. Wish me luck." She said smiling and twirling around walked off in the direction of the Gryffindor Tower.

The Patil sisters began to giggle again and whatever they thought of the matter was lost to Minerva's ears.

Now this was strange. It was one thing for Granger to be in cahoots with Potter and Weasley but it was another thing to involve seemingly 'non-troublemakers' into whatever plot they had cooked up.

Still, aside from the obvious reference to detention should someone find out, Minerva did not think it was too much of a concern. No doubt it would come to light sooner or later and they would all wind up in detention anyway.

It was on this note she entered the teacher's lounge, setting down her books and conjuring a cup of tea instead.

It seemed Professor Snape had had a similar idea for he was already stirring the contents of his mug when she entered. She gave him a quick smile and he nodded in return.

She'd just sat down when Professors Sprout and Flitwick entered the room, and Severus abruptly left at the intrusion to the silence.

"Don't you think it a bit odd, Filius?" Pomona was saying. "One expects things to go missing every now and then but what use can someone have with such a small bud? It only arrived last week. It needs time to mature."

At her side Flitwick nodded up and down in agreement. "Quite right, quite right, dear. And such a funny plant to take. Even if it had been of decent size. What use is Mistletoe this time of year?"

"That's exactly my point." Pomona bristled. "I care for one seedling of mistletoe each year and come the Christmas holidays it has grown enough to string about the whole castle. Now I suppose we'll have to buy some next year if Dumbledore wants it done. Its no responsibility of mine."

"No, of course it isn't, dear." Flitwick tried to pat her on the back but unfortunately his hand could only reach as far as her rump. After a moment of hesitation he decided on her leg and gave her calve a reassuring pat.

The two professors walked out again without even noticing Minerva's presence. Her head had been thinking since the moment they stepped in. It did seem a rather strange coincidence that something should have gone missing just as Granger began acting peculiar, and now she seemed determined to put a stop to this nonsense herself. Putting aside her tea she made her way across the grounds and as luck would have it she happened to stumble across Ron and Harry on her way to the Gryffindor common room.

The two boys were lounging in a turret of the hallway affectionately, and discreetly giving 'Dog,' 'Nutter,' or 'Firebolt' ratings to each passing girl.

When she approached Ron had just nudged Harry, mentioning that the last one may be a nutter but she'd lift her skirt for a sickle. Minerva clasped her hands in front of her politely. "In Scotland we'd call that a Besom."

Harry and Ron both jumped at the sound, half falling to standing positions, and turned a bright red.

Trying not to show her amusement Minerva frowned. "I don't suppose you two know anything about an item that has recently gone missing?"

Ron jumped on the defensive immediately. "We just had a bit of chocolate from the hospital wing. We was gonna' replace it, honest, we didn't think anybody'd notice – Hey!"

Harry elbowed him hard in the rib and the two shared a begrudging look.

Minerva eyed them both intently. "You mean to tell me you do not know anything about the missing plant from the greenhouse?"

Ron looked up with genuine confusion and blurted. "Why would someone steel a plant?"

She smiled. "That remains to be seen Mr. Weasley. Why would someone?"

"We didn't do it, Professor." Harry spoke up. "Honest. We've been in lessons all morning."

Minerva glanced back at Ron who nodded his assent vigorously.

"Well," She quipped. "Then as you've nothing to do I suggest starting that potions essay Professor Snape has set. If I remember from last year his grading is quite particular on the subject of everlasting elixirs."

Ron and Harry grumbled under their breaths. "Yes, Professor."

They began to slink away but she left them with one last warning. "If you _have_ taken something from the greenhouse, it'd be better for you if I didn't find out about it."

The boys' faces grew grim and indignant as they stalked off towards Gryffindor Tower and Minerva sighed. It didn't really seem as though they had had any part in it, which seemed a relief and a nuisance at the same time.

She was probably over-reacting. Students were always causing mischief about the school. It just seemed an odd coincidence because she'd been distracted by Miss Granger's poor behavior. She decided once again to put the thought out of her head.

This, however, seemed easier said than done. At lunch Minerva took the seat to Dumbledore's left and eyed the Gryffindor table for her beloved trio. Potter and Weasley sat together as they usually did, enjoying a laugh at the expense of some foul play, but Miss Granger was surprisingly absent. She checked the rest of the table to be sure but there was no sign of her.

Ten minutes after the meal had begun Professor Snape silently took the seat beside her. She thought nothing of this at first until Professor Trelawney gasped quite loudly.

"Why my dear, Severus, you look as though you have seen… the grim!"

Only then did Minerva look up to see what she was blathering about. Of course by this time Severus was scowling quite normally in Trelawney's direction.

"I'll thank you to keep your exaggerated opinions to yourself, Sybill. I have not _seen_ a grim I _am_ grim. No doubt as a result of your incessant plaguing."

Across the table Sybill huffed rather affronted. "Well I wont tell you what will befall you now unless you apologize for that remark."

"What fortune." He mumbled under his breath.

Minerva gave him an amused smile and he grumble again. "You do look particularly put out this afternoon. The reason you're late?"

He gave her a sidelong glance. "There was an incident in the hall. Nothing a good quidditch match wouldn't cure."

At that moment the doors to the Great Hall creaked open and Minerva turned. A timid looking Hermione Granger walked steadily to her place at the table glancing up only briefly to where Minerva sat before joining her friends. As soon as she did she shook her head in a disappointed 'no' to Parvarti who frowned in response.

Minerva studied the girls for a moment trying to fit the pieces together. Perhaps she would ask the portraits if they had seen them about the castle. She was on this train of thought when Snape's fork unexpectedly clinked loudly against his plate.

"Are you aware we have _mistletoe_ about the castle?" He hissed.

She turned to him startled. "Well, yes.. Pomona has been growing some. Apparently they've misplaced it."

As abruptly as before Severus pushed his chair out after only a meager few bites of food. "I suggest you do something about that sooner rather than later." He simmered, stalking away and leaving her in a state of confusion.

Five instances, she would remind herself later, which should have enlightened her to the near-scandal that was to befall her. She'd never know why she had been so blind to them until the very last second. But maybe that is how it had to happen.

It was a little later that evening, after the castle had mostly settled down and all that remained of the day was supper in the Great Hall. Minerva was making her way towards the feast from checking on a few of her students in the hospital wing when she saw them.

Crouched in two opposing corners were the Patil twins, wands outstretched between them, and in the doorway just beyond stood Hermione Granger.

Minerva was just about to speak when she saw the door come ajar, and the final figure appeared on the scene. It was then Minerva glanced to where the two girls wands pointed and there, hanging like a treacherous omen, was a small sprig of mistletoe.

Everything seemed to happen in an instant.

Severus took one step through the door, Minerva ran forward and shouted, "Miss _Granger_!" and Hermione whipped around only to be seized on the wrists by her Transfigurations teacher.

All five parties stood completely still.

Minerva released her hold on the girl and Hermione looked at Snape terrified, then above them to the mistletoe, and then back at Snape. He wore a similar expression of dread but his eyes were cast imploringly on Minerva.

She whipped her head around to the girls behind them. "Give me your wands at once. You as well, Miss Granger. What in Merlin's name could have possessed you to do such a thing?"

Her tone was not forgiving and the three girls handed over their wands trying to avoid eye contact. Once Minerva held all three wands in hand she glanced up to where the mistletoe still hung. She knew of course the rules of the plant and she shot Severus one look before she spoke again. This time hesitantly.

"Miss Granger, I would like you to take a step back, if you could."

Hermione looked at her two professors, both heads staring at the red berries above them, and bit her lip. Then with eyes closed she willed her body to take one step back, and surprisingly, it did.

Both professors let out a sigh of relief and Minerva looked down at the girl once more.

"All three of you will report to my office immediately. You will wait for me there and you will not make a single detour, am I understood?"

Hermione nodded silently, tears brimming around her eyes.

"Go." Minerva snapped and the girls turned quickly on their heels, all but sprinting down the corridor.

With the students safely out of sight Minerva now turned back to Severus. There was a moment's pause before she asked. "You can't move can you?" He only shook his head. "Neither can I."

They looked at each other a moment longer before Minerva let out the breath she'd been holding. "Well this is a ruddy mess. Why didn't you tell me they'd been planting this stuff – "

"I?" He scoffed. "You've known the damn thing was missing all day. Naturally I assumed the Deputy Headmistress would have taken care of it by now."

She glared at him a moment before glancing upward once more.

"In the North," She mused. "That is, the Nordic people used to lay down arms should they find themselves under a mistletoe plant. Opposing fronts of a war would leave their battle for another day… perhaps it would accept our wands. Here."

From her pocket she pulled out her wand and placed it lightly on the ground. He rolled his eyes at the action but followed her gesture.

Still their feet stuck to the ground.

Minerva pulled the girls wands out as well and laid them down beside her own. Again to no avail.

She stood up again, hands on her hips considering the situation. After a long moment she finally said. "Well, I don't see any way around it. We might as well get this over with."

And before he could utter a protest she'd leaned in and placed a small kiss upon his cheek.

She pulled away to his shocked expressed as he rubbed the skin she'd just left. She wiggled her legs but found her feet plastered as ever to the floor.

"You didn't really expect that to work." He scoffed.

She gave him an 'I-am-not-amused' smiled in return. "Rather I hoped."

When neither moved again she let out another sigh. "Alright, I don't have all day so can we please eradicate this situation before it becomes known to the whole school?"

Severus looked at her. "You can't possibly mean to… that you expect me to…"

"I mean exactly that. And if you wont muster the courage I will kiss you again myself, properly this time."

She stared at him defiantly and his lips curled into a sneer. "You're intolerable."

"Tell me about it later, would you?"

He regarded her there – hands still on her hips, her chin raised in a challenging manner, black hat towering above her head – and then slowly he brought his lips down, brushing against hers only momentarily, and straightened himself once more.

"Now was that so hard?" She mocked, but her fun quickly turned to frustration as she found herself somehow _irrevocably_ nailed to the floor.

They both glanced up to the mistletoe. It had yet to disappear as it usually does when it has served its purpose and this time Minerva sighed in earnest, massaging her temple with one hand. "You'll have to try again." She said. "And… and you'll have to do better than that."

Stunned he watched as a sincere pink blush crept up Minerva's cheeks. A full ten seconds went by before he said, "Alright, you'll have to come here then."

And taking her hand away from her face Severus leaned her closer to him. He waited a moment to remove her daunting hat and let it fall to the floor beside her. Then – focusing on her large, paralyzed eyes – he kissed her.

Their lips met hesitantly at first, lingering on that first touch, savoring it, until her lips slowly parted, welcoming his own. With every second that passed the kiss deepened until for lack of breath they broke apart, their foreheads pressed against the others, Severus' arms encircled around her.

They stood there for a moment with their eyes closed, catching their breath. Neither one sure what to do next. And then Severus spoke.

"I have a confession to make." He said and Minerva dared to look at him.

"I've been able to move since that kiss on the cheek."

She cocked her head questioningly and he ran a single finger through the strands of her hair.

"I placed a fixing charm on you."

To his cheeky grin she raised her brows astonished. And then her mouth curved into a grin as she pulled him in by the front of his robe, kissing him once more.

"You'd better be grateful that plant secured me and not Granger to the floor." She said.

"Oh, I am." He laughed. "I am exceedingly grateful."

About them the mistletoe leaves were fell in fragmented pieces to the floor, where they lingered for a moment before disappearing and Severus took his new lover by the waist, directing her beyond the door where they stood, shutting it firmly behind them.

A ways down the corridor, peering around a secluded corner, the two Patil sisters and one Hermione Granger stood watching the scene.

A single tear fell down Hermione's cheek and Padma put a hand on her shoulder. "He's a rotten git anyway you know." She reassured her.

"Who is?" Came a voice behind them and they turned to see Ron and Harry striding towards them.

"Oh, no one. Its nothing." Hermione said, quickly wiping the tears from her eyes.

"Just a bit of matchmaking gone wrong." Parvarti said and Hermione shot her a look.

Ron and Harry exchanged glances and both boys rolled their eyes.

"Matchmaking? Really? Who?"

Hermione smirked nonchalantly. "You'll just have to find out for yourself, Ron." And moved past them down the hall, hiding her brimming tears.

Ron gave Harry a very concerned look. "What does she mean by that?"

Harry glanced to the door at the end of the hall and back at Hermione. "I think its better we don't know." He said.

.

The End

.

.

.

Author's Note: Clearly I am starved for MM/SS and I just can't wait for everyone to post their next chapters so i'm having to write due to withdrawal pains. And yes, I realize its not Christmas and really mistletoe should be the furthest thing from my mind but hey, it was stuck in my head. Hopefully I've managed to amuse some of you. Thanks!


End file.
